Dying Inside
by RueEmerson
Summary: One-shot about a woman found during a convoy stop. Takes place during "Resident Evil: Extinction."


Ayla was hunkered down at the gas station, fighting off zombies and cursing her existence. That's when Carlos came.

* * *

She didn't know whether to be happy or sad he was saving her. She didn't mind the convoy and she rather liked Claire. But she was conflicted her husband and two sons were dead.

Instead she was here with a group of misfits like herself. Ayla preferred the company of Mikey or Rick because Carlos reminded her too much of her husband.

* * *

After a particularly bad fight with the undead, Ayla wandered to the outer perimeter in the dark to be alone. She stared into the desert as tears fell silently, weeping for the loss of her love and the loss of the two she'd given life, birthed. Would she ever know happiness again?

She felt more than heard Carlos behind her. He said nothing, just stood there, offering his strength.

"What I miss most is touch," she softly told him. "I miss not hugging him before I left for work. I miss not crawling into bed and cuddling next to him. I miss him."

Carlos gathered Ayla close without a sound and let her cry. After a while, he led her back to camp and his truck. He made eye contact with LJ to indicate he didn't want to be disturbed and LJ acknowledged with a slight nod.

She climbed into the truck cab with him not far behind. She allowed him to pull her into his arms as he slid down lengthwise along the seat. Sprawled against him, Ayla buried her face into Carlos' neck and drifted off into a somewhat peaceful sleep.

* * *

Days passed and Ayla spent more time in Carlos' company. More often than not, he would silently appear at her side during meal times or she would catch a ride with him to set up a perimeter.

They didn't talk much — it was just the comfort of being near another human being that soothed Ayla's grief. Each night he held her close in his truck.

Ayla began to have hope for humanity again.

* * *

One evening, Ayla turned in while Carlos stayed up with the other guys playing cards for cigarettes. When he finally crawled into the cab, he found her pressed against the back of the seat, leaving him room to slide in beside her. He smiled in the dark as he settled down and slipped his arms around her.

Carlos woke with a start. Ayla was thrashing around, fighting an unseen enemy. He tried to wake her, grabbing her wrists and shaking her. He ended up pushing her down into the seat, half straddling her and calling out her name. With a feral cry, she finally opened her eyes darting them around and back at Carlos as she tried to figure out where she was.

When Ayla remembered where she was and who she was with, she quit struggling and went limp, tears streaming her face. The dream had been vivid as she watched those things tearing her family apart limb by limb and she hadn't been able to save any of them.

Carlos sympathized, having experienced his own versions of horror, so he simply drew her into his arms without a fuss and rocked her back to sleep.

* * *

After another day on the traveling convoy, Ayla wondered if this nightmare they were living would ever end as she scanned the vast desert. It seemed unlikely and she wasn't sure she wanted to keep on keeping on.

Instead of crawling in with Carlos, Ayla deliberately edged outside the camp, trying to determine if she should begin aimlessly walking into the dunes or simply lay down and give herself as a burnt offering when the sun rose.

She didn't get a chance to choose either because Carlos purposely strode her direction. He had seen the signs earlier that she was teetering and on the verge of checking out.

"I know it doesn't seem like much now, but you're a survivor for a reason, Ayla," he said when he reached her. He laid a hand on her shoulder and gently drew her to him until they were nearly nose-to-nose. "At least go down fighting. Don't give up just yet."

With that, Carlos softly kissed her, hoping to elicit some response. Ayla knew what he was doing and tried to resist, but damn, he tasted good and it had been a while … She melted against him as their mouths fused together. She slid her arms around his neck as his arms looped around her waist.

Carlos eventually broke the kiss, laying his forehead on hers, their breathing heavy. He grinned his trademark grin and asked her if she would be so kind to accompany him back to the truck to which she ducked her head, her cheeks blushed.

Ayla knew they would be doing more than sleeping this time.


End file.
